<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Where Late the Flowers Bloom by LamiaCalls</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25099534">Where Late the Flowers Bloom</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/LamiaCalls/pseuds/LamiaCalls'>LamiaCalls</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Battlestar Galactica (2003)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, F/M, Feelings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 06:15:25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,256</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25099534</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/LamiaCalls/pseuds/LamiaCalls</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Queen Laura and Prince Lee take a stroll around the palace's garden.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Lee "Apollo" Adama/Laura Roslin</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Rare Pairs Exchange 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Where Late the Flowers Bloom</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/subjunctive/gifts">subjunctive</a>.</li>



    </ul></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">The young prince surprised Laura, as he often seemed to, by joining her on a stroll through the palace gardens. They exited through the large double-doors, and with a nod of her head, Laura stayed the guards who had been tailing them.</p><p class="p1">The day was pleasant. The rains had finally come yesterday, after many weeks of fretting from farmers, and it smelt fresh and clear. The flowers had unfurled themselves, to peek out and decide whether to fully bloom or not. Laura took a moment to survey the place.</p><p class="p1">“Your Highness,” Prince Lee said. She looked at his cocked elbow, ready for a hand to be placed upon it.</p><p class="p1">“Thank you,” she said. She placed a hand, but tried to keep her touch light as they went down the stairs to the gravel path. It would not do for him to know how difficult the stairs had become for her lately. She trusted him, but only as much as she trusted anyone from without her kingdom. Her allegiance with Prince Lee’s father had been a recent one, and one she did not wish to test with news of the curse that plagued her.</p><p class="p1">“What do you think of my gardens, then, Prince Lee?” she said as they took a path that cut between the rose bushes, leading to the great fountain in the middle. It was her favourite path in the whole castle grounds. From where they walked now, the fountain was obscured by a towering bush, trimmed into the shape of a great heron. Though they would soon be close enough to hear the rushing of sweet water, she loved the fact that if one didn’t pay enough attention, they would stumble upon the fountain in surprise.</p><p class="p1">“It is quite resplendent,” Prince Lee said.</p><p class="p1">Laura cocked an eyebrow at him, her mouth pulling into a smile. When he noticed her looking, his cheeks pinked.</p><p class="p1">“I have been told that my vocabulary needed improving,” he admitted in a conspiratorial whisper. “My letter writing has not lived up to my father’s expectations.”</p><p class="p1">Laura laughed.</p><p class="p1">“Well, thank you.” She reached out a hand to brush a rose bud as they passed it. It bobbed an acknowledgement back at her. “It is rather, isn’t it?”</p><p class="p1">The stones crunched beneath her slippered feet, and somewhere not too far off came a fierce chirping. Presumably, they blackbirds were roosting in their bushes again. The sun warmed Laura’s face, but the light breeze stopped her from sweating in her spring dress, heavy as it was.</p><p class="p1">“So tell me, how have you found my niece thus far?” Laura asked.</p><p class="p1">Lee’s face pulled into dissatisfaction.</p><p class="p1">“She seems lovely, yes.” But there was no weight behind his words.</p><p class="p1">Laura leaned over, smirking.</p><p class="p1">“You know, should you wish to become better at state relationships, it would behoove you to lie a little better.”</p><p class="p1">He blushed, looked away.</p><p class="p1">“I do not wish to make lying a habit,” he said quickly. “I do find her lovely.”</p><p class="p1">“But not to your tastes, perhaps?” she asked. She kept her tone light. She didn’t mind, really, if Lee had not taken to her niece. She had been left childless when her husband, King Adar, had died so many years ago. She had not remarried, despite the pressing of her advisors. No, indeed, it had left her in quite the precarious position when it came to alliances, with no daughters to marry off or princes to be married to. Her sister’s daughter was the closest she had to an heir. Her sister, sadly, had not brought her up to have a rich interior life, but she was pretty and that was often enough to suitors. She had come of age only months before Laura’s alliance with King Adama, and Prince Lee could only be a five or so years older than she.</p><p class="p1">The Prince had not struck her as a gentleman interested in merely pretty young things — though, she had mistaken many men for not being interested in that, and been proven wrong many more times over — but she would be sad to see him go. He had been better company than any visitor to her queendom in quite some time and there would be little excuse to see him once a potential marriage was off the table.</p><p class="p1">It had only taken her a day after his arrival for her to recognise that he was both unlike the other princes and visitors who had traipsed through her halls, and utterly changed from his father. She had been hearing out her subjects in the throne room, when he leaned over to tell her she had misinterpreted a farmer’s request, and would not be giving enough him enough gold to buy the supplies he so desperately needed after the blight had killed half his crops. He had said it so lightly, not to embarrass her or diminish her — many had, after all, tried to do that, though they failed — but to gently correct her. Because, it seemed, he too cared enough about common folk. A rare trait indeed amongst her kind.</p><p class="p1">“Will your father be disappointed?” she said. “That you have not found a bride?”</p><p class="p1">Lee smirked. “My father is always disappointed. I gave up to trying to live up to expectations a long time ago.”</p><p class="p1">She opened her mouth to ask what had changed, before closing it again. She remembered now, when the news of Prince Zachariah’s dying in a hunt had spread through the lands. He had been younger, yet rumour had had it that he would be named heir, not his brother. She supposed much had changed in that family when he died.</p><p class="p1">They passed her rhododendron bushes — hard to class as “hers” when she had little time to tend them, mind — and she led him to the left of the forking path, the one that led to the towering bushes.</p><p class="p1">“This is my favourite spot,” she confided, leading him behind the largest bush. In front of them, a small fountain stood. It was the least of the fountains in her garden, a crumbling fairy, with water that shot from behind her wings, older than even Adar’s father’s reign, one of the original palace features from many generations ago. There was a small bench just behind the bush, and she perched herself on it. The Prince, however, did not join her immediately.</p><p class="p1">She watched as he circled the fountain, took in her small orchard that ran down the left side, glanced at the orchids which had been a gift from another nation many years ago, before he joined her, sitting beside her.</p><p class="p1">“It’s very…well, solitary,” he said.</p><p class="p1">“It is, isn’t it?” she said. She leant back against the rest, and closed her eyes. The pain in her breast throbbed, and keeping conversation up as she walked never helped it.</p><p class="p1">“You weren’t born into this, were you?” he said, breaking the silence that had fallen over them.</p><p class="p1">She smiled, opened her eyes.</p><p class="p1">“Daughter of a wetnurse and merchant,” she said. “That obvious, is it?”</p><p class="p1">There was no blushing or apologies, just a laugh.</p><p class="p1">“I think I remember hearing about it,” he said. “Although, yes. There are a few tells, perhaps, though I don’t think most people could tell.”</p><p class="p1">“Ah, but those who notice are the ones who care,” she said softly. “There have been many reminders, especially since King Adar died, that I am not one of you. That I don’t quite belong.” She thought for a moment, looked at Prince Lee’s soft eyes and understanding frown, and decided to press on. “I think that’s something you may be familiar with too, is it not?”</p><p class="p1">He blinked, surprised. Then nodded.</p><p class="p1">“But I cannot pretend to know what it is like to be in your position. Mine is still a lot more fortunate, and look what work you have done in the last five years.”</p><p class="p1">She smiled. “There is something to be said for being able to impress when everyone’s opinion of you is so low, rather than having high expectations to live up to, if you may permit me to say so.”</p><p class="p1">He raised a single eyebrow. “It is your Queendom, Your Majesty, you are permitted to say anything you like.”</p><p class="p1">“One thing I will never get used to,” she said wistfully.</p><p class="p1">“But you have impressed my father,” Lee said. “That’s more than most do. You hold your own.”</p><p class="p1">She laughed. “I do. I have worked hard at that. But I would lying if I didn’t say a piece of me missed having someone to throw their weight behind me. It’s rather tiresome to bear it all myself.”</p><p class="p1">“Well,” he said smirking, “From what I’ve seen, I would be happy to throw my weight behind you, if you ever need assistance. I may not hold much water with my father, but I am always happy to try.”</p><p class="p1">“I would have liked to keep you here a little longer,” she said, a smile pulling at her lips. “What a shame there were no women here to take your fancy.”</p><p class="p1">“Oh, I wouldn’t say that,” Lee said, quite serious suddenly. “You asked only about your niece.”</p><p class="p1">She raised an eyebrow. “Am I to take from this that you have your eye on someone else?”</p><p class="p1">“I thought my otherwise interest was quite apparent, Your Majesty,” he said. He looked up at her through his eyelashes. “Though, of course, there is only so obvious I can make my intentions.”</p><p class="p1">She couldn’t remember the last time someone had made her blush, yet here her cheeks warmed. She looked at him carefully.</p><p class="p1">“You are quite courageous, aren’t you, Prince Lee?”</p><p class="p1">He gave her a half-smile. “I have heard my bravery recommends me, yes.”</p><p class="p1">There was too much obscuring the path ahead of her, her options. She would need time to think. Somewhere at the top of the list of complication was, of course, the curse. Revealing it to Lee would successfully deter the young man from attempting to woo her, but certainly the news would make its way back to his father. And she did not want to deter him, necessarily. But courtship for a widow Queen, especially a widow <em>commoner</em> Queen, was hardly the most straightforward of affairs.</p><p class="p1">“Even further shame, then, that your father will expect you back within the fortnight to report,” she said. King Adama’s kingdom was far enough away that the prince would need to leave within the next few days to make it back in time. Timekeeping, as Laura had learnt through their many negotiations, was very important to the King.</p><p class="p1">His cheeks turned pink, and his smile widened.</p><p class="p1">“A shame indeed.” With great hesitation, he reached out and took one of her hands in his. Softly, as if the very trees might hear them, he said: “May I?”</p><p class="p1">“You may,” she said. Her voice, too, had vanished from her.</p><p class="p1">He pulled her hand towards him, and pressed his lips against it. His lips were dry and warm, his grip solid. She inhaled deeply, pressed her hand against him, harder than was necessary. She wishes desperately she had not worn her rings, aware of how the cold metal must have felt against his cheeks, how she could not feel much of his skin because of them.</p><p class="p1">On the thin skin of the back of her hand, he pulled his lips apart, and close them again, so slight that she might have missed it if all her attention weren’t on him. Something inside of her itched at the very feel of it. His eyes didn’t leave hers, warm and blue and endless.</p><p class="p1">Finally, he released her, and she drew her hand back into her lap, the fire burn of him still imprinted on the skin.</p><p class="p1">“I suppose,” she said, and then stopped to clear her throat. “I suppose my guards may come looking for me soon. Would you walk me back?”</p><p class="p1">“It would be my pleasure,” he said. She took his hand as leverage to lift herself, grateful for the other. How embarrassing it would be now, to show him the way she winced when standing. How obvious her ailment would be then. She was sure, of course, that she could trust him, surer even now. But her advisors would have her guts for garters, no doubt, if she did so. She didn’t know how much longer she could stand it, though. She didn’t like keeping secrets from her subjects. Transparency was the key to making them feel heard and listened to.</p><p class="p1">She took hold of his elbow again for them to walk. Where before she tried to keep her touch light, now she leant into it, though perhaps not for the reasons he would assume, her chest aching as they went.</p><p class="p1">“Perhaps,” Lee said, as they passed back through the rhododendrons, “I might arrange another visit. I hear hunting is good here.”</p><p class="p1">She smiled. “It’s true. The woods of Kobold are legendary for their riches to hunt.”</p><p class="p1">“Then, while my father is preoccupied with his war in the Picon sea, I will arrange to spend some time here, if you would permit it. Hunting and such.”</p><p class="p1">She laughed and squeezed his elbow. “And such indeed. I am certain I could permit that, yes. In fact, I may like that very much.”</p><p class="p1">She hoped her guard would not question their flushed faces as they continued to talk and laugh, rounding the rose patches and coming back up the stairs. But then, she was quite tired of hiding things from her people, anyway, and what would one more secret hurt for a time?</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I tried to capture some of the feeling of the miniseries and their very early interactions here. I absolutely adored your prompt for these two, anyway, and I hope you enjoy!</p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>